Combined rattle and whistle



A ril 13, 1965 H. K. PRICE COMBINED RATTLE AND WHISTLE Filed June 18,1962 INVENTOR HOLLAS K. PRICE BY WWO", K

ATTORNEY United States Patent ce a 3,177,614 Patented'Apr. 13, 1965 Thisinvention relates to new and useful improvements in amusement devices ortoys, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a noveltynoise maker wherein sounds are produced by a mechanical movementactuated by turning of a crank.

Briefly, the novelty noise maker in accordance with the inventionconsists of a plate-like body formed with intersecting grooves whichslidably receive reciprocable blocks, such blocks being operativelyconnected to a crank which, when turned, causes the blocks to slide inthe grooves of the toy body. An important feature of the inventionresides in the provision of coacting means in the grooves and in theblocks for producing a scraping or a rattling sound when the blocks areslid in the grooves.

Also, the body of the noise maker is equipped with a laterallyprojecting handle having a whistle embodied therein, such whistle beingcaused to blow at intervals when one of the aforementioned blocks slidesin its groove into an end portion of the associated handle.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simpleconstruction, highly amusing and entertaining operation, in its novelappearance, and in its adaptability to convenient and economicalmanufacture.

With the fore-going more important object and features in view and suchother objects and features as may becomeflapparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention will be understood from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, whereinlike characters of reference are used ot designate like parts, andwhereinz' FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a noise maker in accordancewith the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, takensubstantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken sub stantially in theplane of the line 44 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional View, taken substantially in theplane of the line 55 in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the novelty noisemaker in accordance with the invention is designated generally by thereference numeral and embodies in its construction a plate-shaped body11 which may be conveniently molded from plastic material so that thebody is hollow with an open [bottom and includes a top wall 12 with adepending perimetric flange 13. While this is the preferred form ofconstruction, the body may also be formed from a solid plate, if sodesired. In any event, the body 11 is provided in the top thereof with apair of grooves 14 which intersect each other at right angles at thecenter of the body, these grooves having dovetailed or undercut sidewall 15 and bottom walls 16 which are molded integrally with the topwall 12 of the body. The grooves 14 are open-ended, so that a pair ofreciprocable blocks 17 may be slidably inserted into the grooves.

The blocks 17 are hollow and also preferably molded from plastic, eachblock having an open bottom and including a top wall 18, a pair ofdownwardly divergent side walls 1% and a pair of end walls 20, as isbest shown in FIGURE 3. The side walls 19 of the blocks slidably engagethe side walls 15 of the grooves and since the walls 1h are downwardlydivergent and the walls 15 are dovetailed or undercut, the blocks areprevented from moving upwardly out of the grooves. The top walls 18 ofthe blocks are provided with pivot pins 21 which are connected atlongitudinally spaced points to a crank 22, the latter having anupwardly offset free end portion 22' provided with a crank handle orfinger grip 23. It will be apparent from the foregoing that when thecrank 22 is turned, the blocks 17 will be caused to reciprocate in thegrooves 14, this mechanical movement as such being well known so that adetailed explanation thereof is believed to be unnecessary.

One important feature of the invention resides in adapting theaforementioned mechanical movement for sound producing purposes so thatthe device may be used as a novelty noise maker. This involves theprovision of sets of spaced parallel, raised ribs 24 extendingtransversely on the bottom walls 16 of the grooves 14, such ribs beingmolded integrally with the walls 16 but terminatin short of the grooveside wall 15 so that the lower edges of the side walls 19 of the blocks17 may slide along the bottom walls 16 of the grooves withoutinterfering with the ribs. Also, the end walls 20 of the blocks 17 havetheir lower edge portions provided with recesses 25 to afford clearancefor the rib 24 when the blocks are slid in the grooves. However, aresiliently flexible brush or reed 26 is disposed within each of theblocks 17, being secured to the associated pivot pin 21, the lower endof the brush or reed engaging and skipping over the ribs 24 to produce ascraping or a rattling noise when the blocks 17 are slid in the grooves14 by turning of the crank 22.

While the crank 22 is being turned with one hand, the body 11 is held bythe other hand applied to an elongated handle 27 which may be formedintegrally with the body so as to project laterally to one sidetherefrom, as illustrated. As an element of novelty, the handle 27 mayassume the form of a miniature baseball bat, and it will be noted thatthe handle is connected to the body in'alignment and in communicationwith one of the grooves 14 and that the handle overlaps the body to someextent so that the end portion of the associated groove actually extendsinto the adjacent end portion of the handle, as indicated at 14'.Moreover, the extent of reciprocation of the blocks 17 in the grooves 14is such that the block which slides in the groove aligned with thehandle 27 actually enters the groove region 14' within the handle, wherea step 28 is formed to close oif the recess 25 in the adjacent end wall20 of that block, so that as the 'block enterthe handle, it compressesair in the groove portion 14'. The air so compressed flows through arestricted opening 29 into a hollow interior 30 of the handle and, inconjunction with an opening 31 which communicates the handle interiorwith the atmosphere, a whistling noise is produced at intervals, eachtime the block enters the handle and forces air into the groove portion14'. Thus, when the toy is in operation and the crank 22 is turned, acontinuous rattling sound is produced by the scraping of the reeds 26 onthe ribs 24 and, at one point during each turn of the crank, a whistleis sounded by forcing of air into the handle 27.

If desired, additional whistles may be provided at the open ends of thegrooves 14, similar in construction to the whistle embodied in thehandle 27. The upward offset of the crank portion 22' providessuilicient clearance for the crank to be turned without interferencewith the handle 27, a will be understood.

While in the foregoing there has been described and shown the preferredembodiment of the invention, various modifications may become apparentto those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly,it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and variousmodifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within thespirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

i What is claimed as new is:

1. In a noisemaker, the combination of, a body provided withintersecting grooves, each groove having a bottom wall andspacedtransverse ribs on said bottom" wall, hollow blocks reciprocable insaid-groovfisflpastone another, a common'crank operatively connectedto's aid blocks for reciprocating the sarnewhenthe crank is turned, 7

and resiliently flexible reeds mounted in said blocks'an'd engageablewith said ribs to-produce sound when the blocks are reciprocated.

2. Ina noise maker, the combination of a bodyiprovided with a groove, ahandle connected to said body andhaving an end portion of said grooveextending thereinto, said end portion of said groove forming an airchamber in said handle, air passageprovided in 'said handle incommunication with said air chamber to provide,

a whistle, a block reciprocable in the groove of said body in and out'ofsaid air chamber, means for reciprocating said block whereby to compressairin said chamber and sound said whistle, and coacting means in saidgroove the block is reciprocated,

' having "downwardly divergent side walls' and a bottom Wall, spacedtransverse ribs provided on the'bottom wall of each groove, hollowblocks reciprocablc in and in said block for producing a rattling soundwhen 3. Ina noise'maker, th'e'combination of a bodyprovide d withintersecting grooves; each groove, having a bottom wall and transverseribs on said bottom wall, hollow blocks reciprocable in said groovespastone another,

a common crank'operatively connected'to said blocks for reciprocatingthe same when said crank is turned, resiliently flexible reeds providedin said blocks and engageable with said ribs to produce a rattling soundwhen the blocks are rcciprocated, a handle connected to saidbodyinalignment with one of said grooves and having an end portion of said oneof said grooves extending thereinto I to provide an air'chamber, airpassages'p'rovided in said handle in communication with said air,chamber to provide a whistle, one of said fblocks being reciprocable inand out of said air chamberto compress air therein and sound I saidwhistle.

said grooves past one another; each block having a top 'wallsubstantially flushwith the upper surface of said body, each block alsohaving'axpair ofdownwardly divergent side walls in sliding contact withthe side walls 'of the associated groove and having an open bottom,common means operatively connected to said blocks for reciprocating thesame, and resiliently flexible reeds disrocated. v 1 t 5. The device asdefined in claim 4together with a handle connected to said \bodyandhaving one end portion of one .of said grooves extending thereinto, saidgroove extendinginto said 'handleprovi ding'an air chamber in thehandle, said air chamber having closed sides and a closed inner end andan open outer end in communica-. .tion with saidilast mentioned groove,air passages providedrin said'handle in communication with the inner end'of said air chamberand :coacting'therewith to provide a whistle, theone "of said'blocks in said last mentioned groove being reciprocableinto and out of said air chamber and conforming substantially to thecross-section 4. In a noise maken'the combination of a plate-like bodyhaving upper and lower surfaces and provided in its .upper surface withintersecting grooves, reach of said of said chamber, saidlast mentioned|block constituting a piston and compressing air in the chamber whenrecip- "rocated thercinto, whereby to expel air from said chamherthrough said passages and, sound said whistle.

V References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES I PATENTS 1,394,456'10/21 Wanat 46-475 2,394,321. 2/46 Teagarden 46- 192 -3,032,s93 5/62Debeh ass-31x LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner. RICHARD c. PINKHAM,Examiner;

3. IN A NOISE MAKER, THE COMBINATION OF A BODY PROVIDED WITHINTERSECTING GROOVES, EACH GROOVE HAVING A BOTTOM WALL AND TRANSVERSERIBS ON SAID BOTTOM WALL, HOLLOW BLOCKS RECIPROCABLE IN SAID GROOVE PASTONE ANOTHER, A COMMON CRANK OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID BLOCKS FORRECIPROCATING THE SAME WHEN SAID CRANK IS TURNED, RESILIENTLY FLEXIBLEREEDS PROVIDED IN SAID BLOCKS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID RIBS TO PRODUCE ARATTLING SOUND WHEN THE BLOCKS ARE RECIPROCATED, A HANDLE CONNECTED TOSAID BODY IN ALIGNMENT WITH ONE OF SAID GROOVES AND HAVING AN ENDPORTION OF SAID ONE OF SAID GROOVES EXTENDING THEREINTO